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Follicular Unit Extraction Surgery Overview

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) surgery is one of the two main methods of harvesting or extracting grafts for hair transplantation, the other being the strip harvesting method. With the FUE technique, hair follicles (follicular unit grafts) are removed individually from the patient’s donor area. The removed hair follicles are then transplanted one by one to the recipients thinning hair areas.

Benefits of Follicular Unit Extraction Surgery

A follicular unit extraction procedure is a minimally invasive hair transplantation procedure. There are no stitches used in the FUE technique, and more importantly, there is no linear scar. This means that your donor area will have minimal noticeability with a buzz cut. There is also a short healing time of the donor site, which is a few days.

Another benefit of the follicular unit extraction technique is that some patients may not be candidates for a strip harvest, so FUE gives another option for hair transplantation.

How Follicular Unit Extraction Surgery Is Performed

First, the donor area needs to be trimmed very short. Then, using a very small instrument (one-millimeter in diameter or less), the doctor removes the individual follicular units from your scalp. In order to isolate the graft, the instrument creates a small circular incision around the follicular unit. This graft is then harvested (extracted) directly from your scalp using a very fine instrument that resembles tweezers. This graft is then prepared for placement in your recipient area. One-by-one, follicular units (which contain one to four hairs each) are precisely arranged in groups to ensure optimal placement.

What to Expect from My FUE procedure

You can expect to see new hair growth in about three months. You should see a significant hair regrowth around six months, which continue to grow ongoing after this.

Are you a candidate for the Follicular Unit Extraction hair transplantation technique? There are many factors that determine whether a hair transplant candidate is best suited for the FUE procedure or the strip harvesting technique. Schedule an evaluation and consultation with a hair transplantation specialist at Contemporary Hair Transplant today.

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At the Chuback Medical Group in Paramus, New Jersey, your customized care is our top priority. With nonsurgical and minimally invasive alternatives, we can provide you with a hair replacement solution that will fit your lifestyle and budget.